Deaf pupils have told West Ham MP Lyn Brown about the difficulties they face.

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) ran an online workshop at Lister Community School in Plaistow to pass on support, advice and information to some of the borough’s 325 deaf children and young people.

The workshop also gave advice to their hearing friends, teachers and parents about understanding deafness and how to communicate well.

After the session, Ms Brown chatted to the pupils about their lives, the challenges they face and their hopes and dreams for the future.

She said: “It was lovely to meet Samee, Samit and Umer, who spoke to me about the difficulties they have faced as deaf students in our schools.

“They helped bring home to me the difficulties that will be placed upon them when our schools return and students are all expected to wear face masks.

“Deaf students will have great difficulty communicating with their friends as they won’t be able to lip read.

“I have promised that I will raise this issue with the secretary of state for education on their behalf.”

NDCS had been working with the pupils at the school in St Mary's Road for the past five weeks.

The charity has been running workshops on topics including deaf identity, technology, emotional health and wellbeing, online safety and its deaf works everywhere campaign, which aims to get more deaf young people into careers that inspire them.

Steven Gardiner from NDCS, who has helped deliver the workshops, said: “We’re giving workshops to schools up and down the UK to help empower deaf children and young people and raise awareness of deafness among their friends, family and teachers.

“Visits like this, even when they’re virtual, have such a fantastic impact on the lives of the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and young people and it’s amazing to see that.

“By sharing information and developing everyone’s understanding of deafness, we are working towards a world without barriers for every deaf child.

“We want to remind every deaf child that they have incredible potential and should be aiming high.

“With the right support, they can do anything anyone else can do.”